Alert passwords for detecting password attacks on systems

• US 20040255155A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stading, Tyron Jerrod
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect

Abstract

Detecting attacks on secured computer resources, including gathering user security data for a user having a user password protecting resources on a computer system; generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password; and deploying the alert password on the computer system for use in detecting password attacks on the protected resources. Generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password in some embodiment further comprises: generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty; attempting to crack the alert password and the user password until one cracks; and if the user password cracks first, repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first: generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and attempting to crack both the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one cracks.

Claims

1. A method for detecting attacks on secured computer resources, the method comprising:

generating, for a user having a user password protecting resources on a computer system, an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password; and

deploying the alert password on the computer system for use in detecting password attacks on the protected resources.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising gathering user security data for the user, wherein generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises generating, in dependence upon the user security data, an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

attempting to crack both the alert password and the user password until at least one of them cracks; and

if the user password cracks first, repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first;

generating, in dependence upon the user security data, an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting to crack both the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one of them cracks.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty comprises:

selecting a cracking difficulty;

selecting a password generating algorithm in dependence upon the cracking difficulty; and

generating an alert password by use of the selected algorithm.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty comprises:

selecting a reduced cracking difficulty;

selecting a password generating algorithm in dependence upon the reduced cracking difficulty; and

generating an alert password by use of the selected algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

cracking the user password and measuring the time required to crack the user password;

generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

cracking the alert password and measuring the time required to crack the alert password;

if the time required to crack the user password is less than the time required to crack the alert password, repeatedly carrying out the following steps until the time required to crack the alert password is less than the time required to crack the user password;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty;

cracking the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

measuring the time required to crack the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

establishing a timeout period;

generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

attempting, during the timeout period, to crack both the alert password and the user password; and

if neither password cracks during the timeout period, repeatedly carrying out the following steps until the alert password cracks during the timeout period;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting during the timeout period to crack the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

setting a minimum cracking difficulty;

generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty greater than the minimum cracking difficulty;

attempting to crack both the alert password and the user password until at least one of them cracks; and

if the user password cracks first, repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first and a reduced cracking difficulty remains greater than the minimum cracking difficulty;

reducing the cracking difficulty;

generating an alert password having the reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting to crack both the alert password having the reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one of them cracks.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising prompting the user to enter a new user password having a greater cracking difficulty if the reduced cracking difficulty of the alert password becomes equal to or less than the minimum cracking difficulty.

10. A system for detecting attacks on secured computer resources, the system comprising:

means for generating, for a user having a user password protecting resources on a computer system, an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password; and

means for deploying the alert password on the computer system for use in detecting password attacks on the protected resources.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for gathering user security data for the user, wherein means for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises means for generating, in dependence upon the user security data, an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein means for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

means for attempting to crack both the alert password and the user password until at least one of them cracks; and

if the user password cracks first, means for repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting to crack both the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one of them cracks.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein means for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty comprises:

means for selecting a cracking difficulty;

means for selecting a password generating algorithm in dependence upon the cracking difficulty; and

means for generating an alert password by use of the selected algorithm.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein means for generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty comprises:

means for selecting a reduced cracking difficulty;

means for selecting a password generating algorithm in dependence upon the reduced cracking difficulty; and

means for generating an alert password by use of the selected algorithm.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein means for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means for cracking the user password and measuring the time required to crack the user password;

means for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

means for cracking the alert password and measuring the time required to crack the alert password;

if the time required to crack the user password is less than the time required to crack the alert password, means for repeatedly carrying out the following steps until the time required to crack the alert password is less than the time required to crack the user password;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty;

cracking the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

measuring the time required to crack the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein means for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means for establishing a timeout period;

means for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

means for attempting, during the timeout period, to crack both the alert password and the user password; and

if neither password cracks during the timeout period, means for repeatedly carrying out the following steps until the alert password cracks during the timeout period;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting during the timeout period to crack the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein means for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means for setting a minimum cracking difficulty;

means for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty greater than the minimum cracking difficulty;

means for attempting to crack both the alert password and the user password until at least one of them cracks; and

if the user password cracks first, means for repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first and a reduced cracking difficulty remains greater than the minimum cracking difficulty;

reducing the cracking difficulty;

generating an alert password having the reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting to crack both the alert password having the reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one of them cracks.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for prompting the user to enter a new user password having a greater cracking difficulty if the reduced cracking difficulty of the alert password becomes equal to or less than the minimum cracking difficulty.

19. A computer program product for detecting attacks on secured computer resources, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating, for a user having a user password protecting resources on a computer system, an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for deploying the alert password on the computer system for use in detecting password attacks on the protected resources.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for gathering user security data for the user, wherein means for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises means for generating, in dependence upon the user security data, an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for attempting to crack both the alert password and the user password until at least one of them cracks; and

if the user password cracks first, means, recorded on the recording medium, for repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting to crack both the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one of them cracks.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a password generating algorithm in dependence upon the cracking difficulty; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password by use of the selected algorithm.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a reduced cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a password generating algorithm in dependence upon the reduced cracking difficulty; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password by use of the selected algorithm.

24. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for cracking the user password and measuring the time required to crack the user password;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for cracking the alert password and measuring the time required to crack the alert password;

if the time required to crack the user password is less than the time required to crack the alert password, means, recorded on the recording medium, for repeatedly carrying out the following steps until the time required to crack the alert password is less than the time required to crack the user password;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty;

cracking the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

measuring the time required to crack the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty.

25. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for establishing a timeout period;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for attempting, during the timeout period, to crack both the alert password and the user password; and

if neither password cracks during the timeout period, means, recorded on the recording medium, for repeatedly carrying out the following steps until the alert password cracks during the timeout period;

generating an alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting during the timeout period to crack the alert password having a reduced cracking difficulty.

26. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password that is easier to crack than the user password further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for setting a minimum cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating an alert password having a cracking difficulty greater than the minimum cracking difficulty;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for attempting to crack both the alert password and the user password until at least one of them cracks; and

if the user password cracks first, means, recorded on the recording medium, for repeatedly carrying out the following steps so long as the user password continues to crack first and a reduced cracking difficulty remains greater than the minimum cracking difficulty;

reducing the cracking difficulty;

generating an alert password having the reduced cracking difficulty; and

attempting to crack both the alert password having the reduced cracking difficulty and the user password until one of them cracks.

27. The computer program product of claim 25 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for prompting the user to enter a new user password having a greater cracking difficulty if the reduced cracking difficulty of the alert password becomes equal to or less than the minimum cracking difficulty.